NFC Forum Around the World: Insights and Recap from Recent Conferences

Over the past few months, we’ve been thrilled to witness a surge in external interest in NFC technologies from stakeholders across a number of ecosystems and use cases. As a result of this interest, NFC Forum has recently participated in several speaking engagements across various global locations, including Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona, San Diego, and Austin. Here’s a quick overview of these events and some interesting takeaways.

Growing interest in device-first approach to payments

Starting late last year and extending into 2025, we’ve presented at payment-focused conferences, such as the APSCA Next-Generation Payments event in Kuala Lumpur and the Identity & Payments Summit hosted by the Secure Technology Alliance in San Diego. Both events drew substantial attendance and featured a diverse mix of banking and finance executives, payment issuers, service providers, and many of our esteemed NFC Forum members.

I noticed a striking trend during my time at both of these events: Results the NFC Forum 2024 ABI Research Usage and Adoption study are still being used frequently as key industry proof points – most notably, that consumers prefer a “device-first” approach to payments, with more than 80% confirming that they have used a smartphone or smartwatch to make contactless payments. This metric underscores the crucial role of mobile handsets in the market and highlights the irreversible shift away from contactless cards. This shift presents an exciting opportunity for NFC Forum use cases, particularly Access Control and Identity solutions that leverage on-device wallets for the future.

Varied trends from market to market

One notable insight from my recent travels was that while a “device-first” approach to payments may be accepted in different locations, what this looks like in practice may differ depending on user behavior and preferences.

Visiting Southeast Asia was particularly enlightening. It reminded me that in many parts of the world, a "digital wallet" is simply an app on a smartphone that connects to a service provider like AliPay or WeChat. This perception diverges from our understanding of digital wallets within the NFC ecosystem in the Western world. Another notable aspect of the Kuala Lumpur visit was that several companies presented on their migration from QR codes to contactless technologies. Many companies in the region are now replacing QR codes in shops with NFC Tags to provide users with a "contactless" experience.

The Identity & Payments Summit in San Diego saw a different trend coming to the forefront – Tap To Phone. I had the privilege of hosting a panel discussion that brought together executives from Visa, IDEMIA and G+D to discuss Tap To Phone, Tap on Phone which will allow businesses to accept payments from any contactless card or mobile wallet right from their NFC-enabled device. Panel members expressed optimism about the new application of NFC technologies, and I emphasized the significance of the NFC Forum Technology Roadmap initiatives aimed at modernizing device-to-device communication, increasing operating volume and enhancing wayfinding capabilities to help deliver a better experience to users and drive adoption.

Sleepwalking towards sustainability regulation

March began with a visit to Barcelona to participate in a panel at GSMA’s 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) titled "Rethinking Supply Chains: How Tech Can Clean Up Its Act", where my conversations touched upon the Digital Product Passport, the significance of readiness in the telecommunications sector, and the NFC Forum’s plans to support this work.

During my visit to MWC, I took a walk around the booths and stands of companies exhibiting at the event with their consumer-facing products. Surprisingly, there was not a single mention of sustainability or the Digital Product Passport. Even the principals of start-ups showcasing consumer products in the smaller pavilions were unaware of the DPP and its potential to work seamlessly alongside other functionalities on the same tag, such as provisioning, blockchain, data interface, and wireless charging. While this lack of awareness was concerning, it also presented opportunities for us to educate and engage with the industry and underscored the importance of helping companies to ready themselves for the incoming European Union regulations.

Faster and more effective together

Finally, we had the privilege of joining the Car Connectivity Consortium, Global Platform, and Wi-Fi Alliance on a panel entitled “Collaboration: The Conduit to Our Connected Future" at SXSW in Austin. Together, we shared our optimistic outlook that progress is faster and more effective when achieved through collaboration. Trade groups serve as an excellent case study of how we can expand our market reach more quickly and efficiently when we work together.

It is always humbling to represent the NFC Forum and our membership in these forums and conferences. The strong global interest in our work, perspectives, and plans for the contactless market is a clear indication of the value we continue to bring to the industry.